In an article published in The New York Times on Saturday, September 22, Theroux spoke out for the first time about his February breakup with the Dumplin’ actress, 49.

“The good news is that was probably the most — I’m choosing my words really carefully — it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity,” the Maniac actor, 47, told the publication. “In a weird way, just sort of navigating the inevitable perception of it is the exhausting part.”

He also gave some insight into what caused distance between the two. “These are actually in reality small events that take place. But everything can feel like 10 on the Richter scale if you make the headline big enough and salacious enough.”

Now, seven months later, Theroux says he’s adjusting well, noting that breakups in Hollywood are of a different beast due to what he called a “kind of carny lifestyle” with frequent scenery changes. “[It] doesn’t have that seismic shift of an ordinary couple, where everything is, like, you have to tear a baby in half,” he said. “Neither one of us is dead, neither one of us is looking to throw hatchets at each other. It’s more like, it’s amicable. It’s boring, but, you know, we respected each other enough that it was as painless as it could be.”

He continued: “It was heartbreaking only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day to day. But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we’re both very proud of.”

Theroux also hinted that he may be dating again, responding to questions about his love life by saying, “Is this the part where I coyly raise an eyebrow and not answer the question?”

Aniston, for her part, isn’t too emotionally broken up, either: “It’s pretty crazy,” she said in August. “The misconceptions are ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.’”

She continued: “Or that I’m sad and heartbroken. First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken. And second, those are reckless assumptions. No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me. They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally.”

A source told Us Weekly in March that the one-time loving twosome had barely spoken since the split. “She wishes the best for Justin. They had some wonderful times together but are better off going in separate directions,” the source said, with a separate insider noting, “After taking a step back, it’s very clear to Jen that they were not suited for one another.”

As Us revealed in July, the Friends alum is also dating again, with a source revealing that she was being wooed by multiple men at the time. “Jen’s group is excited that she’s dating again,” an Aniston insider said.

The former couple, who tied the knot in August 2015 after four years of dating, released a joint statement to Us at the time of their separation: “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

The statement concluded: “Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly. Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

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